This invention relates to generally to curbside mailboxes and specifically to automatic indicator flags for mailboxes.
Curbside mailboxes and newspaper boxes generally do not offer to their owners any convenient way to determine whether or not the mailboxes have any mail within them. The traditional flag which is lifted or lowered requires the cooperation of the delivery person and is often aligned parallel to the line of sight from the resident""s home to the mailbox, making it harder to spot. As a result, various inventions have been patented which offer devices aimed at automatically registering the presence of mail or newspapers in the curbside box.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,318,629 B1 issued Nov. 20, 2001 to Anderson for xe2x80x9cSIGNAL DEVICE FOR MAILBOXxe2x80x9d teaches a signal device that is secured between the body and door of the mailbox, falling forward when the mailbox door is opened.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,155,4482 issued Dec. 5, 2000 to Perry for xe2x80x9cMAIL DELIVERY SIGNAL KIT AND METHOD OF USExe2x80x9d teaches a magnet retrofitted to a mailbox door, and a flag system which falls away from the magnet when the door is opened.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,065,671 issued May 23, 2000 to Stepleton for xe2x80x9cROADSIDE MAILBOX DELIVERY SIGNALxe2x80x9d teaches a flag inclined by gravity to rise but prevented from doing so by a tip which is trapped between the body and door of the mailbox. When the mailbox door is opened, the tip is released and the flag pivots upright.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,759 issued Feb. 14, 1995 to Barnes for xe2x80x9cDELIVERY SIGN FOR A RURAL MAILBOXxe2x80x9d teaches a Venetian blind attached to a pendulous weight: when the mailbox door is opened, the weight falls forward, opening the venetian blind to reveal a message indicating that mail has arrived.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,284,295 issued Feb. 8, 1994 to Steinfeldt for xe2x80x9cMAILBOX DELIVERY SIGNAL DEVICExe2x80x9d teaches a signal ball attached to a tether. The ball rests upon a shelf projecting from the door of the mailbox, when the door is opened, the ball falls off and hangs suspended by the tether.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,783 issued Sep. 4, 1990 to Chambers for xe2x80x9cMAILBOX SIGNAL DEVICExe2x80x9d teaches a flag secured in a detent or rest in the door. When the door is opened, the flag falls.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,877,180 issued Oct. 31, 1989 to Shull for xe2x80x9cMAILBOX SIGNALLING APPARATUSxe2x80x9d teaches a base for supporting a mailbox. When the door of the mailbox opens, a plate in the base is pushed towards the rear of the mailbox and actuating means release two flags to fall.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,821,953 issued Apr. 18, 1989 to Poloha for xe2x80x9cMAILBOX GRAVITY SIGNALLING APPARATUSxe2x80x9d teaches a tethered flag having a ring or hole which fits over a support arm on the mailbox door. When the door is opened, the flag slides off of the arm and hangs below the box.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,782,997 issued Nov. 8, 1988 to Cotton, Jr. for xe2x80x9cMAIL DELIVERY SIGNAL DEVICExe2x80x9d teaches a flag similar to that of the ""783 patent in that it rests wedged between the door and body of the mailbox when the door is closed, falling free when the door is opened.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,286 issued Nov. 24, 1987 to Norris for xe2x80x9cMAIL-CALL SIGNAL DEVICExe2x80x9d teaches a name plate and signal plate. The name plate is hinged at its top edge to the door of the mailbox and at its bottom edge to the top edge of the signal plate. The signal plate rests folded up behind the name plate until the door is opened, at which point the signal plate falls forward, freeing the signal plate to fall free therefrom.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,390 issued Apr. 7, 1987 to Martin for xe2x80x9cMAILBOX SIGNAL DEVICExe2x80x9d teaches a flag hinged at its base edge and attached to the door of the mailbox. The flag rests approximately vertically (possibly held by a loose clip at the top edge) and falls free when the door is opened.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,492,335 issued Jan. 8, 1985 to Davis for xe2x80x9cMAILBOX SIGNALING DEVICExe2x80x9d teaches a flag which is released by the delivery person prior to opening the mailbox door.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,382,542 issued May 10, 1983 to Farris for xe2x80x9cMAIL SIGNAL APPARATUSxe2x80x9d teaches a flag hinged at its lower edge to the door and held at its upper side by a latch or weight. When the door is opened, the weight swings free, releasing the flag to also swing freely.
Finally, Canadian Patent 849,923 issued Aug. 25, 1970 to Duffey for xe2x80x9cAUTOMATIC MAIL SIGNAL FOR MAIL BOXESxe2x80x9d teaches a flag hinged to sit parallel to the bottom surface of the box. A friction joint holds the flag in this position until the door of the mailbox is opened and the flag is forced against the bottom of the mailbox and then into a new angular relationship with the door. When the door is closed, the flag remains in the new position in relationship to the door.
With the exception of the Barnes ""759 patent, each of the references cited above leaves the mechanism of the flag exposed to the elements, in which location it is easy for the mechanism to become ice encrusted or snowbound, causing the mechanism to not work. In addition, these devices allow the flag/signal device to become coated with snow and thus considerably less visible. Certain of these devices additionally only present easy viewing conditions from one side or the other.
The Barnes ""759 patent requires a window which is angled to the vertical (the space behind the window being necessary for the pendulous weight) and thus presents another surface which may easily become ice or snow encrusted. In that event, the device might work perfectly but still not be easily visible. In addition, the device of the ""759 patent is only visible from a single direction, the front of the mailbox. While some xe2x80x9cruralxe2x80x9d style (curbside or roadside) boxes are positioned across a street from the owner""s viewing position, many are in front of the viewing position (typically house or drive) and thus may not benefit from the device of the ""759 patent under any circumstances. The mechanical complexity of the ""759 is also a disadvantage of production and use.
It would be beneficial to provide an improved automatic mail box flag visible from either side of a mailbox yet protected from the elements.
General Summary
The present invention provides an improved mail box signal having a case and a slide mounted within the case. The case has a detent and the slide a conforming catch such that when the case is vertical, the slide may be held suspended substantially or entirely within the case. The case is mounted upon the door of a curbside mailbox and when the door is opened, the case is rotated to the horizontal. In the horizontal position, the catch falls free from the detent, freeing the slide to drop substantially or entirely free from the case under the influence of gravity. In the preferred embodiment, the slide may drop vertically xe2x80x9cstraightxe2x80x9d out of the open bottom of the case. In alternative embodiments, the slide may pivot either in a track, or about a pivot, or by other means, and thus fall partially out one side of the case, or out of the case on both one side and the bottom.
The invention may be easily retrofitted to existing curbside mailboxes, however, it may with equal facility be incorporated into new mailboxes as well.
In an alternative embodiment, the slide may have brightly colored flags on one or both sides, so as to improve visibility thereof.
In another embodiment, the case may have a clear pane having a flag behind it, such that when the slide is positioned within the case the interior flag is obscured, but when the slide falls, the interior flag is displayed.
In yet another embodiment, the interior flag or the flags on the slide may be insignia such as the US flag, sports team insignia, trademarks or service marks, advertising for consumer products and so on.
In yet another embodiment of the invention, the case and/or stop may have a second stop located at the bottom of the case in order to prevent the slide from falling entirely free of the case: the slide will halt with a top portion of the slide still within the case. In another aspect, the invention may provide a pull or handle on the slide to allow easy manipulation thereof by the user. In another aspect, the invention may provide a track or slot cooperating with the pull or handle to both allow easy manipulation of the slide and to prevent the slide from falling entirely clear of the case.
In yet another embodiment of the invention, the slide may have a tether to hold it suspended in the air after falling free from the case.
In yet another embodiment of the invention, the case may have one or more fastenings selected from the group consisting of adhesives, nails, screws, bolts, magnets, welds, frames or equivalent devices to allow easy and/or secure placement of the device on the mailbox door.
Summary Based Upon the Claims
The present invention teaches a mailbox signal comprising: a case having an interior and an exterior, and having a detent in the interior; a slide disposed within the interior of the case, the slide having a catch dimensioned and configured to engage the detent when the case is in a substantially vertical orientation; the slide suspended by the detent when so engaged; the interior being large enough that when the case is rotated, the catch is disengaged from the detent and the slide may fall.
The present invention also teaches the mailbox signal further comprising: an aperture through the case, located, dimensioned and configured so that when the slide falls, the slide projects at least partially from the case.
The present invention also teaches that the mailbox signal may further comprise: at least one flag on the slide or a plurality of flags on the slide.
The mailbox signal may further comprise: a clear panel of the case, dimensioned and configured to allow a visible determination of whether the slide has fallen or is suspended from the detent.
The mailbox signal in further aspects comprises: a flag located in the interior of the case behind the slide when the slide is suspended from the detent but visible through the clear panel when the slide has fallen.
The mailbox signal in further advantages may comprise: a slot through the case.
The mailbox signal in further embodiments may comprise: a handle affixed to the slide and projecting through the slot.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a mailbox signal further comprising: a stop disposed across the slot to limit the downward motion of the handle.
The mailbox signal may further comprise: a stop disposed within the slot to limit the downward motion of the handle.
The mailbox signal may further comprise: a tether having two ends and having a first end attached to the slide.
The mailbox signal further teaches: an attachment of the second end of the tether to the case.
The mailbox signal may further comprise: an attachment of the second end of the tether to the mailbox.
The mailbox signal in further aspects, advantages and objectives teaches: a fastener allowing the case to be attached to such mailbox.
The mailbox signal further teaches that the fastener is one member selected from the group comprising: glue, tape, adhesive, nail, tack, screw, bolt, magnet, clamp, wire, spring and weld.
The present invention further teaches a method of displaying an insignia, comprising: affixing the device of the present invention to a door of such mail box, suspending the slide from the detent, and allowing a delivery person to open the door of such mailbox. The insignia may be one member selected from the group comprising: national flags, flags, seals, emblems, religious symbols, advertisements, trademarks, service marks, sports team insignia, patches, marks, news media identification marks, coats of arms, and medals.